seek

verb

\ ˈsēk

sought\ ˈsȯt

\; seeking

Definition of seek

transitive verb

1 : to resort to : go to

2a : to go in search of : look for

b : to try to discover

3 : to ask for : request seeks advice

4 : to try to acquire or gain : aim at seek fame

5 : to make an attempt : try —used with to and an infinitive governments … seek to keep the bulk of their people contented— D. M. Potter

intransitive verb

1 : to make a search or inquiry

2a : to be sought

b : to be lacking in critical judgment … they were sadly to seek — The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Other Words from seek Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about seek

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for seek

seek, search, and hunt mean to look for something. seek may be used in looking for either material or mental things. She's always seeking new friends. I seek the truth. search is used when looking for something in a very careful, thorough way. We searched all over the house for the letter. hunt is used for a long pursuit. I hunted all day for the right present.

Examples of seek in a Sentence

The office is seeking a salesperson. The prince is seeking a wife. Snakes seek the sun to warm their bodies. You should visit your doctor and seek his advice. You should seek medical help immediately if you experience any chest pain or shortness of breath. The church is seeking donations. He sought revenge for his son's murder. During the war, she sought asylum in Spain. They sought refuge in Canada. The company is seeking new ways to improve service.

Recent Examples on the Web

Beijing is also expected to propose giving foreign firms greater access to financial services and other sought-after sectors. — Bob Davis, WSJ, "U.S. Presses China on Trade Proposals," 31 Dec. 2018 The second was the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, which sought to bring teeth to a provision in the Fair Housing Act of 1968 that went largely ignored for decades. — Jeff Andrews, Curbed, "HUD won one court battle, lost another under Ben Carson in 2018," 26 Dec. 2018 For many people, exercise and food trackers encourage health-seeking behaviors. — Candace Nelson, SELF, "My Activity Tracker Was Making Me Anxious, So I Quit Using It," 14 Dec. 2018 Like women in Frozen T-shirts and children in diapers, who are seeking asylum—as is their legal right. — Jennifer Wright, Harper's BAZAAR, "If You're Defending Tear Gassing Children, You're a Horrible Person," 28 Nov. 2018 The Sylvia Rivera Law project, named after transgender activist Sylvia Rivera, is an organization that seeks freedom of gender expression for all, regardless of income, class, race, or other factors. — Allure, "6 Ways to Support Transgender and Nonbinary People Right Now," 21 Oct. 2018 Underwood is continuing to seek more than $2.8 million in restitution and has asked a judge to ban the Trumps temporarily from serving on the boards of other New York nonprofit organizations. — David A. Fahrenthold, The Seattle Times, "Trump to shut down charity after lawsuit said he used it for personal and political benefit," 18 Dec. 2018 Some women actually had to seek medical attention to remove the bits of the tampon from their bodies, according to a statement released by the company. — Macaela Mackenzie, Glamour, "U by Kotex Tampons Have Been Recalled—Here's What You Need to Know," 13 Dec. 2018 Others, however, choose to seek out the most beautiful illusions. — Alejandro Jodorowsky, ELLE Decor, "A Conversation Between Hotelier Alan Faena and Filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky," 14 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'seek.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.